What some MnSCU part-time students are saying about money
A while back I did a radio piece on how student leaders at Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) system campuses were saying the State Grant formula was unfair toward working part-time students.
Above is a survey that the Minnesota State University Student Association (which represents those at four-year institutions) conducted of part-time students.
The survey sample of qualified students is small -- only 320. But the results are interesting. A few highlights (verbatim from the report):
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The majority of the students responding were first generation college students, had annual incomes of less than $60,000 per year, and had dependent children.
A number of respondents also indicated that they were paying for higher education expenses not only for themselves, but for their children as well.
The majority of respondents (nearly three fourths) were between the ages of 25 and 44 years.
More than 75% indicated that they worked at least 30 hours per week while attending school, while nearly 40% said that they worked more than 40 hours per week.
Nearly half have paid tuition and fees with a credit card.
I'm not sure how to take this tidbit, though:
Although 3 0% of respondents indicated that they currently received the federal Pell Grant, the number of students who indicated that they were Minnesota State Grant recipients was significantly lower — approximately half of the number who received
a Pell Grant.
What does that imply?